The reading room provides the public with access to national, European and international IP documentation so that they can perform their own searches. PATLIB staff advises the public how to search and how to retrieve relevant documents. Visitors may search IP databases free-of-charge using the workstations provided.

Search services

The PATLIB centre carries out IP searches for the public. This service may range from relatively basic bibliographic searches (e.g. for a patent number, an applicant's or inventor's name, or the legal status of an application) to highly sophisticated searches concerning technical areas (state-of-the-art, novelty and infringement searches). Explanatory information, comments and interpretations of the search results may be provided with the search reports.

The PATLIB centre provides information on IP procedures, different kinds of IP rights, the requirements for filing an IP application, fees, search possibilities, etc. Legal advice is not included in this service.

IP monitoring services

The PATLIB centre provides regular (e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly) information on newly published IP rights or changes of their legal status. For patents and utility models, the monitoring can be based on IPC (International Patent Classification) profiles and/or competitor names.

Statistical analyses of patent data

This service provides information on technical trends and competitors' activities based on statistical processing of patent data.

The experts from the PATLIB centre give lectures during IP training events or in the framework of IP related university curricula.

Assessment of the economic potential of an invention

With the help of respective software tools, the PATLIB centre assists in assessing the economic potential of inventions, detecting potential risks and analysing the market situation.

Patent clinics

This service is provided in collaboration with local professional representatives (patent attorneys). The role of the PATLIB centre is to co-ordinate bilateral consultancy sessions between the attorney and the client and to provide the necessary information background (e.g. relevant documents and preparatory searches. Legal advice is given solely by the attorney.